Nine states running out of water

For many states, the rainy season is over, and most of the Western United States is now locked into a fourth consecutive year of drought. The imminent dry summer is particularly foreboding for California, where more than 44 percent of land area is engulfed in an exceptional level of drought. This was the highest such share nationwide and the kind of water shortage seen only once a century.

According to a study by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), "Droughts in the U.S. Southwest and Central Plains during the last half of this century could be drier and longer than drought conditions seen in those regions in the last 1,000 years." The likelihood of such a drought is 12 percent, NASA scientists estimated.

Based on the most recent drought levels estimated as of the week ended April 14 from the U.S. Drought Monitor, 24/7 Wall St. identified the nine states with the most widespread severe to exceptional drought conditions. During periods of severe drought, crop or pasture losses are likely, and water shortages and restrictions are common. Relative to historical trends, severe drought is expected once every 50 years. During times of exceptional drought, these conditions are intensified and water shortages are considered water emergencies. 

Click here to find out which states are running out of water.

For more on the drought, check out our previous stories: 

• Congress pushes back on EPA 'Waters' rule
• California warns of deep water rights curtailment
• Plan for drought with water-wise plants